2018 World Open

[Neil Taperell]

I wonder if Stevens can have a resurgence like Williams ???

[JimMalone]

Stevens has certainly had some memorable losses in matches where he clearly should have won, but I think he still had a very strong career up to about 2007. Yes, his record in major finals is awful, but he contested most of them in arguably the strongest period snooker has ever seen, losing to the likes of Higgins, Williams, Hendry and O'Sullivan, which is nothing to be ashamed of. I think the point where it all went downhill for him though was when Paul Hunter died, because Stevens went from being one of the very best players in the world to basically not being a factor in the game at all, and all in the space of a year or so. He was only 30 at the time, so he could have done so much more in the game...

Anyway, nice to see Barry Hawkins playing well in the first half of the season for a change. Last year it took him about seven months to get his first decent result of the season. :smile:

That's certainly right to a point and I agree about the sad passing of his good friend Paul Hunter being a key in dragging Stevens down. But I think the loss against Shaun Murphy in the 2005 World Championship final bears a heavy role in his descent as well. It's true that some of his memorable losses came against the top players and he also won some important matches against great competition as his one UK Championship win, when he beat Hendry 10-8 in the final. But in that Crucible final against Murphy he was the favorite and had a 10-6 lead and let it slip away. His following season was especially awful and then Hunter's death one year later probably was too much.

It's not that Stevens had a bad career. He went to two World Championship finals and won the UK Championship. But as he was early hailed as a coming World Champion some see it as a bit of a disappointment. And I think that in terms of mentality he wasn't on par with the elite class of Hendry, Higgins, etc. and this was probably the biggest difference, regardless of what might have been the reasons for it.

[fkhan]

Wow, Jack is 2-0 clear of Williams.

[DeanH]

now 3-0 to JL with a 100 and a lovely shot from pink on its spot to push the black off the side cushion up to the yellow pocket

[fkhan]

3-1 to Jack on one table and on the other it’s still frame number 1.

[Rane]

3-1 to Jack on one table and on the other it’s still frame number 1.

Two of the tours fastest players. It´s just that you don´t think of MW as fast because of his laidback style.

[PatBlock]

OMG! that pink!!

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[fkhan]

Williams is leading 4-3 wow.

[fkhan]

What a dramatic match and final frame. An easy red missed by Mark and then another easy green missed by Jack. Finally Mark wins it.

[PatBlock]

What a dramatic match and final frame. An easy red missed by Mark and then another easy green missed by Jack. Finally Mark wins it.

He never really recovered from that pink:

https://youtu.be/af_Ht1vS3dY

and Williams made sure he punished him for it. Very enjoyable match.

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[JimMalone]

He never really recovered from that pink:

https://youtu.be/af_Ht1vS3dY

and Williams made sure he punished him for it. Very enjoyable match.

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Wow! What a ball to miss.

[fkhan]

Well played David Gilbert. Through to the final. What a foul by Barry off the yellow to end the match.

[DeanH]

finally got the record done
well done David Gilbert through to only his second final (and that was some years ago) but as he said in interview he has knuckled down instead of being a tractor-driver, so he has a good a chance as any

Looking forward to Noppon vs Mark in just under an hour

[fkhan]

David’s biggest payday with 75k guaranteed tomorrow and if he wins the final, he will be in the top 16.

[fkhan]

Has anyone else noticed the drift on the table? Williams rolled the cue ball from the baulk area towards the pink and it didn’t go straight. Sub standard quality Star tables?